It Isn't Just a Myth: A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way

The approach that I take to giving advice in Good Boss, Bad Boss and in everything else I write is to try to be as evidence-based as possible. But I also realize that the academic literature does not always map neatly onto the demands and needs of bosses and others in organizations. So I also offer logical or theory-based advice that seems like it is likely to be supported by research -- even if that research has not yet been done or I don't know about it. Although most assertions in Good Boss, Bad Boss are grounded directly in evidence from peer reviewed studies, my arguments about the value of saying "thanks" were only indirectly grounded in research on influence, especially on the norm of reciprocity. At least they were it wasn't until I learned of this studyin the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology from co-author Adam Grant. Here is what I wrote at the end of Chapter 3, which focuses on wisdom:

Wise
bosses don’t just display empathy, compassion, and appreciation through
dramatic and memorable gestures, as Dean Plummer did for me. They convey
it through tiny and seemingly trivial gestures. As we’ve seen, effective bosses
work their magic by piling up one small win after another – and realizing that
followers are watching their every move. A host of renowned bosses
talk about the importance of thanking people, about the power of this small
gesture and how failure to express appreciation to people who are working their
tails off is a sign of disrespect. The late Robert Townsend, former CEO
of Avis and author of Up the Organization, defined “Thanks” as “A really
neglected form of compensation.” Max DePree, former CEO of furniture
giant Herman Miller, described saying “thank you” as among a leader’s primary
jobs.

I thought all this talk about something so small and so obvious was
overblown until a professor from another school told me about a trip he took
with his university president to China. The logistics of the trip were
difficult, as it was a traveling road show where transportation, hotel
accommodations, meetings, and hundreds of other little details, had to be
orchestrated. The staff traveling with the group worked 12 to 16 hours
day on these chores and did a magnificent job. Yet my colleague reported that,
even though the president made many requests of the staff during the trip, he
never once thanked them. This lack of gratitude was demoralizing, as they
catered to his every whim but weren’t otherwise noticed or appreciated.

This perspective on the power of simple expressions of appreciation is bolstered by a series of four intertwined studies by Adam Grant and Francesca Gino in a paper called "A Little Thanks Goes A long Way: Explaining Why Gratitude Expressions Motivate Prosocial Behavior." These researchers found, in each study (all are randomized experiments with control and treatment conditions), that a simple expression of thanks by someone in authority led people to be more likely to volunteer to do extra work. Their research shows that this happens because the simple act of being thanked makes be feel more valued -- and in some of these studies -- it also increased peoples' feelings of self-efficacy (essentially, the perception that they were making a bigger impact on the world around them).

I was especially interested in the study with university fund raisers. The simple act of having a boss come by and offer a public thanks to one group, and but not the other, really packed a wallop. These fundraisers were paid a fixed salary, so Grant and Gino compared the number of phone calls made be each fundraiser before and after the "thank you" intervention. The results were pretty impressive, as while there was no change in the average number of calls made by the group that was not offered thanks, the folks who heard a warm two sentence thank you from a boss made an average of about 50% more calls during the subsequent week.

To return to the argument in Good Boss, Bad Boss, it appears we have some new evidence, as Robert Townsend put it, that "Thanks" is "A really neglected form of compensation." It is also a remarkably cheap form of compensation.

Comments

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I agree with Sean Whitlock...make sure the expressions of thanks are genuine and delivered with sincerity. Nothing feels more hollow than one of those canned 'valued employee' messages delivered with a 'call center courtesy' tone...Make an effort. Keep it simple and direct. Avoid platitudes.

It's not just employees who deserve thank yous. It's also customers. I've made it a regular habit to write thank you notes at the end of each week to customers who have written thank you notes on Twitter and Facebook. The results are downright amazing.

Agreed -- and I think that thank-yous have become even more important in our current economy. CareerBuilder's mid-year forecast showed that 29 percent of employees have a worse opinion of their employer in the wake of the recession, and many plan to look for new jobs once the economy improves.

Thank-yous and recognition are vital, but many bosses have lost focus of that. It's important for them to keep morale in mind and consider that it doesn't take much time to thank employees, but it can make a huge difference in their outlook and job satisfaction.

I worked at a career college where the campus president's office was next to the Admissions Reps cubicles. The ARs wore name tags, enrolled students daily and kept the business running yet this "leader" rarely acknowledged us my name. He often spoke about his experience and successes as a former AR. He thanked us regularly for outperforming other campuses but only acknowledged his top performers. Leaders should make it a regular practice to say "thank you" and also make it a priority to know their staff and acknowledge them individually.
While top performers are essential to the success of the business, average performers will NEVER realize their potential if you consistently ignore them!!

I recently came across an article that caught my eye called “Ask the Gen Y Expert: How Can I Get Recognized for My Hard Work?” In the article a junior assistant at a PR firm asks the “Gen Y expert” how she can get her boss to praise her for her good work. How does she know her work is good? Because her suggestions end up in reports, she is invited to high-level meetings, and she is kept in the loop on important projects. Many of you reading this might now might be asking, “So…what’s the problem here?”

Too often have I worked in a company that either did not thank its employees or publicly thanked only select departments. Not only was this demoralizing, but it caused those of us that overworked ourselves in order to maintain smooth operations, working through breaks and lunch hours in order to complete tasks in a timely manner, to begin losing job satisfaction. I used to pick up additional work even when I already had several assignments in order to keep managers and fellow employees content, but the lack of any sort of gesture of appreciation from management has been a deterrent for going above-and-beyond the line of duty. It's truly a shame that such a simple concept can be overlooked so often. Could it perhaps be that the managers in question have never held a position below the role of management, and therefore never felt the need to be thanked? It's hard for me to believe that, as even as a manager, someone else is probably still managing you.

I agree wholeheartedly with your post. The workplace would be a much better place if all managers realized the importance of saying "thanks".

Bob -
I fully agree with you. I think the smallest thank you's and simple gestures will not only maintain and boost employee morale, but will also be reflected on the public perception and success of a company. I believe an employees attitude is strongly influenced and often a reflection of their supervisor. In general, an employee will put as much effort into a project as their boss would. If a boss always adds that extra effort, their employees will treat that as the norm. A boss brightening their employees day with a small thank you, will cause the employee to pass that friendliness along to a customer or a colleague. If companies could get all of their supervisors on board with this extra effort, friendly movement, I believe it would quickly effect the image and success of that company.

A "Thank you" is such a powerful thing. From the time we are taught it as children, to using it in a professional environment as a manager. It is often underestimated and overlooked. As Roche commented, "Followup thank you emails are also a must." This is so true and necessary, the same way that thank you cards are so important. Someone knowing (not hoping) that they were appreciated is moralizing and feels good. It is positive reinforcement that makes them want to continue the actions they received thanks for. I have first hand experience with this as an employee who often received thanks from my boss. I found it very empowering, knowing that my actions were not only recognized, but that they were appreciated. I wasn't quite able to pinpoint that at the time, but looking back at it now I can see how very true this is.

Like a little leakage from a tiny hole of a dam lets the dam break, the effects of "Thanks" can accumulate, and finally move our mind. This reminds us that people can have different feelings owing to trivial expressions or words. Most of people get angry at trifles. Those trifles spark off big troubles. Think about the reason why we fight against each other.

Mr. Sutton,
Thank you for that posting. Being a manger myself, simple gestures such as “thank you’s”, are really easy to forget in the day-to-day workplace. So often we (I) get stuck in the employee/ employer mentality and focus on the logistics instead of the psychology that really make people work better, happier and probably more efficient.
I’ve found that little gestures, like asking how an employee’s family is doing, or remembering one of their children’s birthdays, goes an incredibly long way. As you referred to in your blog, it makes the employee feel like they aren’t just a cog in a large machine, but part of a team. In my experience, you see these results of the action immediately and their effects usually last.Unfortunately, I (and a lot of others in management positions) don’t do it often enough. It’s something that we have to make a conscious effort to do and, more importantly, to be genuine about it. Being an employee as well, I know you can see right through an insincere gesture from your boss.

With all of the studies and literature about workplace psychology, it’s nice to read that good old-fashioned courteousness can still be an effective management tool in today’s workplace.